What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientTapioca Starch
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Glycerophosphate
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Alumina
Abrasive
Magnesium Oxide
AbsorbentCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Tapioca Starch, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Sorbitol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Cetyl Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Levulinate, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ethyl Ferulate, Sodium Anisate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Glycerophosphate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Citric Acid, Alumina, Magnesium Oxide, CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77891
Zinc Oxide 24%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Pelargonate
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingEthylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-27
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Iron Oxides
Zinc Oxide 24%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Pelargonate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer, Dimethicone, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polyester-27, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Beeswax, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Chloride, PEG-12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Jojoba Esters, Silica, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Iron Oxides
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconePropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
